From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Palazzo Editions Limited in Bath, England is publishing a deluxe hardcover edition available in September in the UK and January 2012 in the US. Illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat, one of my favorite Austen artist... Continue Reading →
Bath Tangle, by Georgette Heyer – A Review
From the desk of Laura A. Wallace: One of the things about Georgette Heyer is that the question “which of her books is your favorite?” tends to invoke a response corresponding to: “whichever one I am reading now.” Every time I reread one of her novels, I am always amazed at how fresh it is,... Continue Reading →
A Wife for Mr. Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen – A Review
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: Mary Lydon Simonsen, author of Searching for Pemberley and The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, is back with yet another opportunity for us to wander down that “what if” path with our favorite Pride and Prejudice characters: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. This time, our variation begs the question:... Continue Reading →
A Wife for Mr. Darcy Blog Tour with Author Mary Simonsen
Please join us today in welcoming Austenesque author Mary Simonsen for the official launch of her book blog tour of A Wife for Mr. Darcy, a new Pride and Prejudice-inspired novel that was released on July 1, 2011, by Sourcebooks. BOOK DESCRIPTION A GENTLEMAN should always render an APOLOGY When Mr. Darcy realizes he insulted... Continue Reading →
The Quiet Gentleman, by Georgette Heyer – A Review
From the desk of Laura A. Wallace: “To own the truth,” replied Miss Morville candidly, “I can perceive nothing romantic in a headless spectre. I should think it a very disagreeable sight, and if I did fancy I saw such a thing I should take one of Dr. James’s powders immediately!” Thus Drusilla Morville sadly... Continue Reading →
Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House: Being a Jane Austen Mystery (Book 6), by Stephanie Barron – A Review
In the winter of 1807, we find Jane Austen in the seaport of Southampton living in hired lodgings while her brother Francis Austen’s new residence is made ready for them at Castle Square. The Austen women (Jane, sister Cassandra, their widowed mother, and a dear family friend Martha Lloyd), will all be residing together under... Continue Reading →
Shades of Milk and Honey, by Mary Robinette Kowal – A Review
From the desk of Shelley DeWees: “Of his younger daughter, Melody, he had no concerns, for she had a face made for fortune. His older daughter, Jane, made up for her deficit of beauty with rare taste and talent in the womanly arts. Her skill with glamour, music, and painting was surpassed by none in... Continue Reading →
Venetia, by Georgette Heyer – A Review
From the desk of Laura Wallace: "I know! She was the delightful creature who cut up her brother, and cast the pieces in her papa’s way, wasn’t she? I daresay perfectly amiable when one came to know her." —Venetia on Medea. Venetia is about soul mates. Two people who, despite completely dissimilar life experiences, recognize... Continue Reading →
The Annotated Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, Edited and Annotated by David M. Shapard – A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: How appropriate that The Annotated Sense and Sensibility is being published during the bicentenary year of Jane Austen’s first published novel. This new book includes the complete text of Jane Austen’s classic with annotations by Dr. David M. Shapard, an expert in eighteenth-century European History who also brought... Continue Reading →
The Truth About Mr. Darcy, by Susan Adriani – A Review
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: I’ve come to the realization that Pride and Prejudice “what if’s” are my favorite sub-genre to read in the world of Jane Austen fan fiction (JAFF). They give us the opportunity to cut and mold the storyline of Austen’s work in a fresh new way, and to explore all... Continue Reading →
Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle, by Georgette Heyer – A Review
From the desk of Laura A. Wallace: Our hero is 28, wealthy, with vast estates and dependents, and head of his house, having come into his inheritance at a young age. He was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit; but to be fair, he is no more villainous than... Continue Reading →
Wickham’s Diary, by Amanda Grange – A Review
Austen’s bad boy George Wickham gets top billing in this prequel to Pride and Prejudice that will surprise readers for more reasons than one first imagines. Anyone who has read Jane Austen’s original novel or seen one of the many movie adaptations knows that Wickham is a bad man: a charming rogue, a gamester and... Continue Reading →